


The Best Fake Boyfriend She Ever Had

by LibbyWeasley



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, FitzSimmons Secret Santa, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Miscommunication, Professor AU, Science flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 16:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/pseuds/LibbyWeasley
Summary: When Jemma's mum pressures her to return home for the holidays, Jemma comes up with a plan to convince her family she isn't lonely at all.





	The Best Fake Boyfriend She Ever Had

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ughfitz (wokemeup)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wokemeup/gifts).



> This was written for the 2018 FitzSimmons Secret Santa exchange for the lovely @UghFitz. The prompt was fake dating/relationship au with a preference for a professor au...and I even worked in an "Ugh, Fitz!"
> 
> And a huge thank you to @blancasplayground for beta'ing for me. It is so much better because of her help!

Jemma looked down as her phone started to buzz. It was her mum. She silenced it, looking around to make sure she hadn’t disrupted anyone working in the library. As she glanced around her eyes met Fitz’s. She had noticed him her first week on campus. How could she not? He was handsome, with eyes like the sky on a clear day.

She smiled and looked away again, telling herself the reason she spent so much time in the library was because her assigned office was so far away and not because she adored the way he said her name if they happened to cross paths and exchange greetings. She tried to put him out of her mind and focus on her research. She just needed one big breakthrough, or study, one publication that could make the difference in her career.

Becoming a visiting professor of biology was not what she had envisioned when she finished her second doctorate. But it had been too late in the hiring season to secure a tenure track position. In fact, she was lucky to have found this job, even if it didn’t really allow her to fully demonstrate her expertise. That part was up to her to prove in her “free” time. But no sooner had she turned back to the article she was reading when her phone buzzed again, this time with a text message.

It was from her mum, asking her again to come home for the Christmas holiday. Jemma loved her parents, but she was perfectly fine on her own.

“Everything alright, Jemma?”

It was Fitz. He must have noticed her glaring at her phone. He was such a sweet man. She was surprised he didn’t have work to do. He was always so attentive whenever she encountered him in the library.

“Yes. Quite,” she said, looking up to give him a smile. “It’s just...it’s just my mum. She’s afraid I’m lonely here all by myself.”

To emphasize her point about how silly that was, she let her eyes scan then crowded library. Students worked in groups or alone. Or slept. Faculty members and graduate students collected books and articles for their research. The bustle of the university was all around them. She certainly wasn’t alone.

Turning back to the blue eyes that she always found so distracting, she was surprised to see his face close to hers. He must have sat down next to her while she was being dramatic.

“Ah...I see.”

“What do you see?” Jemma asked, suddenly concerned that she had said too much.

“Oh, nothing.” Fitz was flustered. “It’s just that my mum is the same way. Always pestering me to come home. Or at least get a girlfriend so I’m not so lonely. But I have my work, of course, and that keeps me busy.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend?” The words were out of Jemma’s mouth before she could stop them and she closed her eyes in mortification.

“Oh, ah, no. No girlfriend. What about you?”

When she managed to open her eyes again she saw that he was looking away with a faint pink tinge to his cheeks. She wasn’t sure why she found his nervousness so attractive, but she did.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, either,” she teased, knowing that wasn’t what he meant.

He turned to her, looking slightly confused, so she continued, “Or a boyfriend.”

They sat for a minute, Jemma contemplating the wood grain of the table in front of her, when she was struck with a thought.

“Fitz, you can pretend to be my boyfriend!”

“W-what?”

“I mean, we can help each other.”

He looked skeptical. But, in for a penny, in for a pound, she supposed, and plowed forward. “It doesn’t sound like either of us has time for a real relationship right now, but if we tell our mums we are together...maybe send some pictures...then they won’t worry so much.”

“So, I just tell my mum you’re my girlfriend—”

“And send her pictures,” Jemma reminded him. “We don’t actually have to date. We just need to make it look like we are. I bet we could take enough pictures in one afternoon to make it seem like we are dating for the entire semester.”

“And then what?”

“Well, then, after the holiday, we break up,” she said, giving him a crooked grin. This was a brilliant plan. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it before. And if Fitz was willing to go along with it, that was even better. She might be able to convince someone else to play the role of her boyfriend, but Fitz had such symmetrical features. And their height difference would be perfect for the pictures.

“Alright,” he said slowly. “But what about next Christmas?”

“Oh...next Christmas?” She thought for a minute. “You might have to find another fake girlfriend for next Christmas. I only have a one-year contract. I’m a visiting professor.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t know what to make of his single syllable response.

“But if I’m still here next year we can just get back together.”

“Right. So, ah, how do we fake date?”

“That’s a ‘yes’? You’ll do it?”

“Sure. You’d really be doing me a favor.”

”Thank you, Fitz! Why don’t we get together this weekend. I think we can stage enough dates to make it look like they took place over several months...and then we can send the photos to our parents when the time is right. I’ll plan it all out.”

“This weekend?”

“You don’t have to work, do you?” Jemma felt oddly dejected over the thought of not seeing him this weekend. She already had several ideas for places they could go.

“No...no, it should be alright. Should I call you?”

“I’ll call you. Here, put your number in my phone.” She handed him her phone and watched as he added himself as a contact. “Oh, I should get going. I didn’t realize how late it was. I have a class in 15 minutes.”

As she rushed off to teach a class to a lecture hall full of undergraduates who likely didn’t care one way or the other about biology, she thought that today had been a very good day. She had a plan for how to keep her mum happy, and there would be a bright spot this weekend since she’d be seeing Fitz.

 

* * *

 

Saturday turned out to be a brisk, sunny day. Jemma forced herself to wait until 8:30 to text Fitz. Even though she’d been up since sunrise and was more than ready to get started with their date — or non-date as it were — she wasn’t sure if he was an early riser and didn’t want to wake him.

Jemma: Good morning, Fitz. This is Jemma.

She stared at the phone in her hand, not sure why she expected an immediate response, and then forced herself to put it down, turning instead to the color-coded itinerary she had put together. She hoped he would text back soon because their first stop, coffee at that cute outdoor cafe, was scheduled for 10:00.

As if thinking about him again had caused him to respond, her phone buzzed and she saw it was him. A tingling sensation went through her and she assured herself it was just because they would be putting their plan into action today and not because of him.

Fitz: Hi, this is Fitz.  
Fitz: Wait, you already knew that.

Jemma laughed. He was really adorable. She could almost picture the look on his face.

Jemma: If you still want to, we can meet up today and work on “Project Mum.”

Before she could even put the phone all the way down it buzzed with his response.

Fitz: When did you want to meet?

Jemma: 10am. The cafe right off campus?

Fitz: Yeah. See you there.

Well that was just perfect. She gathered up her bag of supplies and printed a second copy of her itinerary.

 

* * *

 

Fitz appeared in her line of sight at exactly 9:58 a.m. and she drank him in, unobserved, as he approached the counter to place his order. She had never seen him outside of the library, but she was happy to see that he had dressed for the weather, a blue cardigan over his button down and jeans. She could work with that.

“Fitz, over here,” she called with a wave when his eyes scanned the tables.

He smiled at her and walked towards the table she had spread her papers over.

“Are you working?” he asked in greeting, his blue eyes sparkling in amusement.

“Oh, of course not. This isn’t —” She stared into his eyes, forgetting for a second what he had asked. “I mean, this is everything we need to put our plan into action. Detailed itinerary, ideas for how to change our appearances...what?”

“It's just...Jemma, you are incredibly prepared.”

“Thank you,” she said with a nod. “So, I was thinking we’d start here and, ah, canoodle over coffee, or tea, I suppose. And then head down to walk by the river, then the farmer’s market, the apple orchard, and the tree farm.”

Jemma pointed to each entry on her list. “And if we use everything I’ve brought,” she said, hauling her bag onto the table and pulling out hats and scarves, “we should be able to make it look like these pictures were taken over months instead of on a single day.”

Fitz was still silent and she started to feel a little ridiculous. “Or...if you’d rather not.”

“No, that sounds great. I’ve never been on five dates in one day before,” he said with a grin. “Now, how do we canoodle?”

She scooted her chair closer to his so she could show him.

 

* * *

 

Luckily, the fall days were still long. Since it was just the end of September, and not actually December like they were pretending, there was still plenty of sunlight to take the last pictures of the day.

Scanning through the pictures they had already taken she was really pleased. She arranged the day in seasonal order intentionally, hoping the pictures would look less awkward and posed as the day wore on. She had been right. In the last photos she was tucked close to his side with his arm wrapped around her as they gazed at the camera. One of the pictures even showed him looking at her adoringly while she looked into the camera. That one was a keeper. Her mum would eat that up.

“Wait, Fitz. We need hats and scarves for this one.”

He dutifully waited for her as she rifled through her bag before handing him a navy blue scarf with a matching hat.

“Uhh...Jemma, I’m not sure my mum will be believe I picked these out.”

“Really?” she asked, pulling out another hat and scarf for herself. “Well, just tell her that I knitted them for you.”

“Did you? Knit them, I mean.”

“No...but your mum doesn’t know that,” she said, tossing him a smile and turning with a flip of her hair.

She was even feeling more flirtatious. It was their fifth date after all. She could afford to be a little flirty. She walked closer to the trees.

“I think if we get close enough, we can just get the tree in the background and it won’t be obvious that there isn’t any snow.”

Jemma pulled Fitz closer to her.

“We should, ah, pretend to be cold,” he said wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning down to put his cheek next to hers.

Jemma felt her heart stutter. He really was an excellent fake boyfriend. She smiled broadly, ready to take the picture.

“This area is off limits!”

The voice was deep and a little gruff. Jemma turned around with a start.

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s just that I saw this pseudotsuga menziesii and I just had to get a picture to send home.”

At her use of the scientific name for the fir tree they were standing in front of, his expression softened. So she continued.

“They aren’t native to the UK, you know, so my parents have never seen one in its natural habitat. They weren’t found in the UK until 1827 when David Douglas introduced them.”

At some point Fitz must have reached for her hand, because he was giving it a squeeze and stepping forwards.

“A Scottish botanist, of course,” he added.

She looked at Fitz in surprise. He constantly amazed her. Although...he _was_ Scottish. She wasn’t likely to forget that the way his tongue kept rolling over her name.

“Well, I suppose it’s alright if you want to take _one_ picture,” he said thoughtfully. “Did you want me to take the picture for you, so you can both be in it?”

“Oh, would you? That would be lovely.”

Jemma grabbed Fitz by the elbow and dragged him back towards the tree.

Under her breath she added, “Remember this is the last picture. It should be...romantic.”

“Romantic...right,” Fitz said in a low voice that sent tingles through her body.

His arms came around her, holding her loosely, and Jemma put her hands on his shoulders, raising her eyes to his.

“Is this what you were thinking?”

“Yeah,” she said, voice coming out in a whisper. She leaned forward without thought.

Their lips met in the sweetest kiss she had ever imagined. His lips were soft and warm, and when they moved against hers it felt like the world around them disappeared. She didn’t care how they got here, just that she was in his arms and she was never going to let go.

A throat clearing disrupted her thoughts and forced her to step back from Fitz.

“I got the picture, miss,” the man said. She had forgotten all about him.

“Oh...oh, thank you.”

“It’s time for you folks to move on, now.”

“Of course. Thank you again,” Jemma said, keeping up her cheerful facade as the man watched them walk away.

Fitz hadn’t said a word since they kissed. Or did she kiss him? No, he was definitely kissing her back.

“I think these pictures are perfect. We should be able to convince our mums that we dated for months.”

She had intended her words to fill the silent expanse between them. But all they did was make it more obvious.

It hurt a little bit. He wasn’t actually her boyfriend, but she thought they had been getting on pretty well. Kissing probably wasn’t the best decision. They hardly knew each other after all. It had just felt so right with him. So perfect. All part of the illusion, she supposed.

They finished the trip back to campus in silence, save the polite small talk that accompanied their walk.

“Well, I’ll send you the pictures once I’ve picked out the best ones,” she said as they started to part ways.

“Yeah, ah, that would be great.”

He was definitely avoiding eye contact. Which was a shame because she really enjoyed staring into his eyes.

“I’ll see you later?” she asked, feeling a sort of longing now that their day together was coming to an end.

“Sure. I’ll probably see you around campus.”

Her heart sank a little more. That wasn’t the answer she had hoped for. She started to walk away, not wanting to actually say goodbye.

“Jemma…”

She turned at the sound of his voice.

“I had a really nice time today. You’re the best fake girlfriend I’ve ever had.”

And then he was gone.

 

* * *

 

Time had passed quickly and the fall semester was already halfway over. The pictures, which she was carefully rationing and sending to her mum one at a time, had really done the trick. There had been no more pleas for her to come home for the holiday, which had eased her relationship with her family, but she felt a stab of regret every time she saw a picture of her and Fitz.

She hadn’t seen much of Fitz since that day. That kiss had somehow changed things between them and she was at a loss to understand what it was. She would have liked to kiss him some more. It had been such a revelation. And he _had_ said he enjoyed their day together.

But luckily she didn’t have too much time to consider the what-if’s. She had classes to teach, exams to grade, and her own research to complete if she wanted to land a tenure track position next year. Which was what she was working on now.

Pouring herself a cup of tea, Jemma sat down across from Bobbi, a biologist with her own lab and graduate students. Bobbi was one of the first people who had befriended her when she arrived in August, and, ever since she started screwing the director of campus safety, a fount of information about the goings on around campus.

“So, apparently there is a big grant project happening over in engineering,” Bobbi said, waggling an eyebrow at Jemma.

“Engineering?” Jemma made a face. “How does that help me, Bobbi? I’m a biochemist.”

“Well...word is they are having a problem identifying a toxin that will work in small enough doses to use in whatever they are designing.”

“Oh,” Jemma breathed, forgetting about her tea entirely. “Who is running the project?”

“Hunter wasn’t sure who’s actually working on the project, but it’s out of Mack’s department.”

This day was getting better and better. She knew Mack. And she knew he knew what she was capable of.

“I’m just gonna...”

“Go for it,” Bobbi said. “Let me know what happens.”

“Absolutely!”

Ten minutes later Jemma was standing in front of Mack’s office, raising her hand to knock before she could talk herself out of it.

“Come in,” Mack’s voice boomed.

“Hello,” she said, trying to figure out how long they had to make small talk before she could make her request.

“Dr. Simmons! I’m so glad you stopped by. I was just about to email you.”

“You were?” she asked, taken slightly aback.

“Feel free to say no, but I have a proposal for you.”

“Really?” What was wrong with her? She couldn’t just keep acting surprised. “What’s the proposal?”

“I have an engineer working on a grant project and he needs some assistance from someone with your expertise. In exchange I can make sure you get listed as an author on any publications that come out of this.”

Jemma smiled. This was going to be easier than she’d hoped. But then her smile faltered.

“Why would you ask me? There are other biochemists who would bring more prestige to this project.” Jemma narrowed here eyes as her words had the desired effect.

“Well...he’s not the easiest person to work with, and you —“

“Don’t really have a choice.” Jemma considered for a moment before making up her mind. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Great. I’ll take you down to the lab now and you can work out the details.”

“Right now?” she squeaked, then forced herself to take a breath. “Yes, now would be perfect.

She followed Mack down a labyrinth of hallways until they reached a lab tucked into the corner of the building.

“Hey, Turbo!” Mack called out. “I found you a biochemist.”

“I told you I don’t want just any bloody—“

Jemma froze at the sound of his voice and her eyes grew wide. He seemed to have recognized her at the same time she recognized him.

“Jemma?”

Mack looked back and forth between them. “You two already know each other? Perfect. I’ll just leave you to it then.”

“Fitz...I, you. But I always see you in the library.”

“Yeah, well, you’d spend your time in the library if you had office mates like mine.”

“You’re an engineer?” she asked, kicking herself because the answer was so obvious.

“Yeah...and you’re a biochemist?”

“I’m teaching biology this year. But I have PhDs in both biology and chemistry. I’m sure I can help you with...whatever you need.” She laughed. “I’m not even sure what I’m doing here.”

Fitz picked up his tablet and flipped through a few screens before turning it to her. “I’m designing a non-lethal weapon, the night-night gun, and those idiots I’ve been working with can’t figure out how to get the correct dosage of neurotoxin.”

“Hmm...you aren’t really going to call it that, are you?”

Fitz pushed a hand through his hair and Jemma felt her heart beat faster.

“Not you, too.”

“Fitz, I just think you need a cooler name to go along with what is clearly an incredible design.”

He smiled at her then and held out his hand. “We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Dr. Leopold Fitz. Engineering.”

When their hands touched, it was like electricity raced up her arm. She had tried to forget about their kiss, but in that moment everything she’d felt when his lips had been on hers came rushing back.

Her voice a little unsteady, she answered, “Dr. Jemma Simmons. Biochem.”

They continued shaking hands and staring into each other’s eyes until Fitz cleared his throat and stepped back.

“So, this is what has been keeping you so busy,” Jemma said.

“Yeah, sorry. I kept meaning to drop by the library to see if you were around, but I haven’t had the time.”

“You could have called...or sent a text,” she pointed out, surprised when he blushed.

“Oh, well...I didn’t think of that.”

The silence dragged on for a moment too long and she realized that she hadn’t thought of texting him either to see how he was, or what he was doing...or if he’d like to kiss her again. And it was out of the question now if they were going to be working together.

“I have some ideas,” she finally said, steering the conversation back to a more professional place. “I’ll need your help to test them. I teach on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but I’m all yours any other time.”

Fitz’s eyes shot back to hers, but she held his gaze. She hadn’t meant it that way, but now that she thought about it, she didn’t actually have any objection to being his during her free time. Best keep that part to herself, though. Given his reaction to their single kiss, she wasn’t sure he could handle more.

“I’m usually in the lab on Tuesdays and Thursdays...and all weekend as well. So you can join me anytime.”

“Alright. How about Thursday, then?”

He was still standing close to her and she fought the urge to run her fingers through his hair.

“Thursday is fine.”

“I’ll see you then,” she said brightly, noticing that his gaze had dropped to her lips.

“Okay...oh, Jemma. Before you go. I just wanted to thank you. My mum has never been happier.”

“Wonderful! Did you send the picture from the apple orchard?”

“Oh course I did,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I can recognize a well thought out plan when I see one. I’ve been sticking to your schedule.”

“I’m glad. My mum seems very satisfied with you as well.”

He blushed and Jemma though he was going turn away and end the conversation. “My mum thinks we’re moving in together.”

“Really? You don’t think it’s a bit early for that?”

“It was her idea,” he said, holding up his hands in surrender. “I just mentioned that we were spending all of our evenings together and she made some assumptions.”

“That you didn’t bother to correct,” Jemma pointed out. “Look, I don’t want your mum thinking badly of me.”

“You aren’t going to have to meet her, so you have nothing to worry about. But really, she thinks you are a saint for putting up with me.”

At some point in their conversation they had moved closer together again. It was like they were drawn together like magnets. Working with him was certainly going to be interesting. She already knew they had chemistry. Now maybe they could see if they had biology on their side as well. When this project was done, of course.

“Isn’t it going to be harder to break up if we are living together?” Jemma licked her lips and started mentally listing the properties of the noble gases.

“I suppose...and I’ll be heartbroken for months.”

“Ugh, Fitz.” How was she supposed to resist those puppy dog eyes. “How about we finish this project and I'll take you on enough fake dates to keep your mum occupied for another year. But I’m drawing the line at grandchildren.”

Fitz choked and sputtered. She patted his back and maybe leaned a little bit closer to him than was strictly professional. He was a mystery to her. He had kissed her and then walked away. He teased her and then when she responded he got flustered. She didn’t know if he wanted to get as far away from her as possible, or if he was interested in seeing where things could go between them.

When he recovered she gave him a small smile and said goodbye.

“I’ll see you on Thursday, Fitz.” This time she walked away from him. And she really hoped he watched her go because she knew the skirt she was wearing today would make it worth his while.

 

* * *

 

They worked straight through the rest of the fall semester, spending their free hours during the week and every weekend ensconced in his out-of-the-way lab. She enjoyed spending time with him and she felt a little adrift at the thought that she had finished her part of the project.

“Just a few more tests left, but I think I’ve got it.”

Fitz’s smile was wide and his excitement was contagious. This was a big deal for him.

“Jemma...I couldn’t have done this without you.”

She turned around and he was right there, pulling her into a bear hug before spinning around with her in his arms.

She laughed and tried to free herself.

“Fitz! If we get dizzy and knock over the samples, I’ll have to start all over.”

“Ah, right,” he said, finally coming to a halt, but not releasing her.

They were so close. All she had to do was go up on her tiptoes and she could press her lips to his. The temptation was almost unbearable, and after 16 weeks of becoming friends, pretending to date, and working side by side, she didn’t want to fight it anymore.

Before she could move, however, he leaned in closer to her and then they were kissing, his lips sliding against hers. His arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned into him, pressing every inch of her body against his. She felt like she needed him to breathe, and she clung to him, oblivious to anything except him — the sound of their heavy breathing, the taste of his lips, and the feel of his hands on her body, one arm still wrapped around her waist while the other lightly stroked up her side.

She opened her mouth slightly in response to the pressure of his tongue and she gasped when his tongue started tracing the inside of her mouth.

“Fitz,” she breathed, once they finally separated.

His forehead was resting against hers, and he was looking into her eyes, searching for something.

“Fitz...I don’t understand. I thought…”

“This is what I want, Jemma. This is what I’ve wanted from the day we met. I just didn’t think you did.”

“But...but I did, too.” This was unbelievable. The most amazing man she’d ever met and they had somehow gotten their wires crossed. “But then why did you just walk away the day we took the pictures?”

Fitz moved his hands to rest on her hips and took a deep breath before answering. “You said you were too busy. I couldn’t ask you to choose me over your career...and I knew I didn’t just want part of you.”

“Oh, Fitz.”

He took a step back and fidgeted with his hands now that they were no longer touching her.

“So, I was thinking...I don’t really like lying to my mum.”

“Oh?” That was not what she was expecting to hear.

“So, I thought, maybe we could get dinner somewhere. Somewhere nice?”

“I’d like that,” Jemma said, stepping closer to him again. “But, later, okay?”

As she melted into his embrace once again, she studiously ignored the sound of the door opening and a voice saying, “It’s about bloody time.”

“Leave them alone, Hunter,” was Bobbi’s reply.

When Fitz tried to raise his head to investigate the interruption, Jemma just wiggled against him and kissed him with more enthusiasm until he no longer cared about anything else. She was not in the mood to explain about Bobbi and Hunter right now...though it occurred to her that Fitz might already know them.

“Fitz...the last picture,” she cried out, pulling away from him.

“Wh-what?”

“The last picture...by the tree. Don’t send that to your mum.”

“Oh, okay. Why?”

“Because I think we should spend Christmas together. And I don’t want to lie to my mum anymore either. I want to send her a picture of me and my boyfriend celebrating the holiday together. For real.”

“That sounds perfect...as long as I’m your boyfriend.”

“Of course you’re my boyfriend. Unless you don’t want to be.”

“No! I’d be honored if you’d be my girlfriend.”

“Honored?” she asked, giggling.

“Shut up and kiss me, Jemma.”

“Of course, Fitz.”

That night, once they finally left the lab and went to grab dinner, they sent their first messages home to their mums as an actual couple, a picture of them with big smiles, arms wrapped around each other like they’d never let go. Whenever she finally went home again Jemma would have to thank her mum properly.

...Fitz really was the best fake boyfriend she’d ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you think. You can find me on tumblr/discord/pillowfort @LibbyWeasley


End file.
